Unit – 3
Identifying Common Errors in Writing
Below are the rules of a Subject-Verb concord:
Being able to find the right title and action will help you correct the mistakes of the action agreement.
Basic Rule. A singular subject (he, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (goes, shiny), and the plural subject takes a plural verb.
For example: The list of items is /are on the table.
If you know that a list is a topic, then you will choose it for the Verb.
- Rule 1. The subject will come before the sentence you begin. This is an important rule for understanding subjects/lessons. The word of is the culprit in many, perhaps most, subject-verb mistakes.
Funny writers, speakers, readers and the audience can miss the most common mistake in the following sentence:
Incorrect: The bouquet of yellow roses lends color and aroma to the room.
Correct: A bouquet of flowers of yellow roses lends. . . (borrowing a bouquet of flowers, not roses lend)
- Rule 2. Two related topics linked by, or, either/ or, or neither / nor require one action.
Examples:
My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.
Neither Juan nor Carmen is available.
Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.
- Rule 3. The verb in an or, either / or, or neither / nor sentence agrees with the noun or pronoun next to it.
Examples:
Neither the plates nor the serving bowl goes on that shelf.
Neither the serving bowl nor the plates go on that shelf.
This rule can lead to traffic congestion. For example, if I'm one of two (or more) subjects, it could lead to this unusual sentence:
Awkward: Neither she, my friends, nor I am going to the festival.
If possible, it is better to rearrange such correct sentences in the language but be negative.
Better: Neither she, I, nor my friends attend the festival.
or
She, my friends, and I are not going to the festival.
- Rule 4. As a general rule, use a plural action for two or more subjects if they are linked by.
Example: A car and a bicycle are my mode of transportation.
But note the exceptions:
- Exceptions:
Breaking and entering is against the law.
The bed and breakfast was charming.
In those sentences, breaking and entering and the bed and breakfast are complicated nouns.
- Rule 5a. Sometimes a subject is separated from a verb by words such as once, and, and besides, not, etc. These words and phrases are not part of the title. Ignore them and use only one action when the subject is alone.
Examples:
The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly.
Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.
- Rule 5b. Parents are not part of the topic.
Example: Joe (and his trusty mutt) was always welcome.
If this seems difficult, try rewriting the sentence.
- Rule 6. In sentences that begin here or there, the actual subject follows the verb.
Examples:
There are four hurdles to jump.
There is a high hurdle to jump.
Here are the keys.
- NOTE:
The word existence, some consensus exists, leads to bad habits in illegal sentences such as There are a lot of people here today, because it's easier to say "there" than "there is." Take care never to use an article on a plural subject.
- Rule 7. Use the unit-by-unit action, time periods, currency, etc., when considered a unit.
Examples:
Three miles is too far to walk.
Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.
Ten dollars is a high price to pay.
BUT
Ten dollars (i.e., dollar bills) were scattered on the floor.
- Rule 8. In words that indicate parts - e.g., many, many, all, all - Regulation 1 given earlier in this section is reversed, and we are guided by the noun in the background. If the noun is one after the other, use one action. If plural, use the plural verb.
Examples:
A lot of the pie has disappeared.
A lot of the pies have disappeared.
A third of the city is unemployed.
A third of the people are unemployed.
All of the pie is gone.
All of the pies are gone.
Some of the pie is missing.
Some of the pies are missing.
- NOTE:
In recent years, the SAT test service has considered none of it very important. However, according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage: "Obviously no one has been united and plural since Old English and still is. The idea that it is compiled only is a myth of an unknown origin that probably originated in the 19th century. if it seems to you, use one verb; if there seems to be a plural, use a plural verb. Both are accepted without serious criticism. " When none is clearly intended to mean "not one," it is followed by a singular verb.
- Rule 9. With collective nouns such as group, jury, family, audience, population, the action may be singular or plural, depending on the author's intent.
Examples:
All of my family has arrived OR have arrived.
Most of the jury is here OR are here.
A third of the population was not in favor OR were not in favor of the bill.
- NOTE:
Anyone using a collective verb with a collective pronoun should be aware of the accuracy - and also disagree. It should not be done with care. The following is the kind of error sentence that a person sees and doesn't hear much these days:
The staff decides how they want to vote.
Careful speakers and writers can avoid sharing their singular and plural to work in one sentence.
Consistent: The staff are deciding how they want to vote.
Rewriting such sentences is recommended whenever possible. The preceding sentence will read better like:
The staff members are deciding how they want to vote.
- Rule 10. The word instead consisted of statements expressing desire or contradicting the truth:
For example: If Joe were here, you would be sorry.
Shouldn't Joe be followed by him, not, given that Joe is alone? But Joe is not here, so we say it wasn't. The sentence indicates the state of injection, which is used to express things that are logical, wishful, rational, or controversial. The general motive reflects a few lessons and what we often think of as pluralism.
Examples:
I wish it were Friday.
He requested that she raise his hand.
In the first example, a wish statement is presented, not a fact; So, it's been something, which we often think of as a mathematical act, used with it. (Technically, one article in a reunion: it was Friday.)
Usually, he used to sound awful to us. However, in the second example, when an application is presented, the subjunctive mood is correct.
- Note: The punctuation condition is lost in spoken English but should be used in formal speech and writing.
Noun-Pronoun agreement refers to the correspondence of a pronoun with its antecedent in number (singular, plural), person (first, second, third), and gender (masculine, feminine, neuter).
Typically, one of the basic principles of pronoun concord (also known as noun-pronoun agreement or pronoun-antecedent agreement) is that a singular pronoun refers to a singular noun while a plural pronoun refers to a plural noun.
Below are the rules related to pronoun concord:
Singular Noun, Singular Pronoun:
When writing a sentence, using the same word more than once can be repetitive.
Example: Francine edited her paper because her paper was full of errors.
• Rather than repeating "paper" twice, it is possible to use a pronoun.
Revision: Francine edited her paper because it was full of errors.
• Since "paper" is singular (there is only one), use the singular pronoun ("it") to replace it.
Remember to find the exact subject of the sentence to find out whether a pronoun should be singular or plural. See our web page on subject-verb agreement for more on singular and plural subjects.
For example: Each student should find his or her own note taking strategy.
• Since the subject is singular ("each "), the pronoun ("his or her") must also be singular.
For example: Neither Bob and Alex do not believe he will win this award.
• Since the subject is singular ("neither"), the pronoun ("he") must also be singular.
For example: A community group of teachers is meeting tonight to see if it can find a way to help students improve their SAT scores.
• Since the subject is singular ("community group"), the pronoun ("it") must also be singular.
Singular “They"
Recently, a number of popular and popular books have begun to accept the use of the word "them" as a singular pronoun, meaning that the authors use "they" to associate with the target topics in an attempt to avoid male pronouns. Although the pronoun "they" is a plural noun in some style references, APA encourages authors to use "they" as a singular pronoun for the purpose of accepting gender differences.
According to the APA-style blog, "when people come together and do not change their gender (including age, gender, and other communities) use their unity as their pronoun, the authors rightly use the singular when" writing about them ".
With this in mind, when authors write specifically about an individual or group of people who like singular "they," authors should also use the single "they."
When appropriate, we recommend authors explicitly explain that they have used the singular "they" to follow the identities of the people they are interviewing.
In addition, authors can often avoid the issue of gender-neutral pronouns by updating a sentence to make the subject plural:
Original sentence: A teacher should carefully choose opportunities for development that address their gaps in knowledge.
Plural Noun, Plural Pronoun:
When the subject of a sentence is plural, the pronoun in the sentence becomes plural as well.
For example: When students arrive on the first day of school, students need help finding the right classroom.
• Since " students " is a plural, use a plural pronoun to replace it.
Revision: When students arrive on the first day of school, they need help finding the right classroom.
Remember to find the exact subject of the sentence to find out whether a pronoun should be singular or plural. See our web page on subject- verb agreement for more on single-subject articles.
For example: When a manager or employee disagrees, they should discuss the situation.
• Since the subject has a plural ("a manager or employee"), the pronoun ("they") must also be plural.
Example: The professor hopes that students review their notes carefully.
• Since the subject is plural ("students "), the pronoun ("their") must also be plural.
For example: Both Smith (2016) and Taylor (2017) believe that their results will lead to social change.
• Since the subject is plural ("both"), the pronoun ("their") must also be plural.
Pronoun Ambiguity:
Although pronouns are useful to help writers avoid repetition, they should be used sparingly to understand the meaning of the sentence. Look at this sentence:
For example: When Jeff and Brian joined the team members, they were shocked.
• The pronoun here ("they") is unclear - to whom? Was the team nervous? Were Jeff and Brian nervous? In this example, because the pronoun "they" makes sense, choosing a noun instead of a pronoun will help clarify it.
Tenses can be divided into 3 main types and further sub dived into 4 types:
PRESENT TENSES
1. SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE: In this type of tense the action is still taking place, there is no mention of its completeness.
Example: I sleep.
She studies vocabulary every day.
2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE: In this type of tense the action is still in progress, therefore the use of the word ‘continuous’.
Example: I am sleeping.
I am eating lunch, I will call you later.
3. PRESENT PERFECT TENSE: In this type of tense the action has already been completed, hence the use of the word ‘perfect’.
Example: I have slept.
I have eaten Chinese food a few times already.
4. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE: In this type of tense, the action has started taking place beforehand and is still ongoing.
Example: I have been sleeping.
I have been eating a lot of vegetables lately.
PAST TENSES
1. SIMPLE PAST TENSE: In this type of tense the action which is mentioned has already taken place in the past, there is no continuity.
Example: I got some sleep yesterday.
2. PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE: This type of tense describes an on-going action that took place in the past.
Example: I was having lunch when u called yesterday.
3. PAST PERFECT TENSE: This type of tense describes a completed action which took place in the past.
Examples: I had slept.
I had already eaten when my doorbell rang.
4. PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE: This type of tense describes an action which started in the past and continued until another point in time, still in the past.
Example: I had been sleeping for two hours before my friend arrived.
FUTURE TENSES
1. SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: This type of tense describes an action taking place in the future; there is no mention of its continuity.
Example: I will sleep.
I shall finish my project by tomorrow morning.
2. FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE: This type of tense describes an action that will take place in the future but will still be ongoing.
Example: I will be sleeping at 11 p.m.
I’ll be staying at my parents’ house for a few weeks.
3. FUTURE PERFECT TENSE: This type of tense describes an action that will occur in the future before another action in the future.
Example: I will have slept before you arrive.
4. FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSE: This type of tense describes an on-going action in the future before a completed action in a specific point in time.
Example: I will have been sleeping for seven hours by 9 a.m. tomorrow morning.
I will have been studying for two hours by the time my parents arrive.
Below are some basic rules regarding the sequencing of tenses:
Rule 1
A past tense in the independent clause is always followed by a past tense in the subordinate clause.
Example: I found out that she was out of town.
However, there is an exception to this rule. When the independent clause in the past tense, the subordinate clause can be in the present tense if a universal truth is being stated by it.
Example: The children were taught that honesty is the best policy.
Another exception to this rule is when the word ‘than’ is used in the sentence to introduce the subordinate clause. In this case, the subordinate clause can be used in any tense irrespective of the tense of the independent clause.
Rule 2
If the tense used with the independent clause is in the present or future tense, the tense of the subordinate clause can be in any tense based on what needs to be conveyed.
Example: She is saying that she is alright. She says she is fine.
Rule 3
If the independent clause is in the future tense, the subordinate clause is not used in the future tense instead a subordinating clause beginning with when, until, before, after etc. is used.
Example: I will call you when dinner is ready. I shall wait until you return.
Rule 4
When the subordinate clause is introduced with the conjunction ‘that’, the following rules must be followed,
- ‘May’ should be used in the subordinate clause when the independent clause is in the present tense.
- ‘Might’ should be used in the subordinate clause when the independent clause is in the past tense.
Example: We eat that we may live. She tried to live so that he might have a chance at life.
Rule 5
When some phrases such as If only, wish that, what if, it is time are used, the clauses that follow it are always in the past tense.
Example: I wish I could eat another ice cream.
There are two types of Articles in the English language, Definite and Indefinite Articles.
- Definite Article
The definite article is the word ‘the’. This article is only used when a particular place, thing or activity is being referred to. It limits the meaning to one particular thing or activity.
For example, in the sentence “I won’t be attending the party this weekend.” ‘The’ is used before the noun party therefore it refers to a specific party which the subject is talking about. The definite article can be used with both singular and plural words.
Uses of “The”:
- The definite article can be used to make general things specific, for example, “Please pass me a pen.” when changed to “Please pass me the pen.” Changes the meaning of the sentence entirely. In the former the subject requests for a pen in general whereas in the latter he refers to a specific pen.
- ‘The’ is used by geographical areas such as rivers, mountains, seas, oceans etc.
“The Middle East”, “The Atlantic Ocean”, “The Himalayas”
c. Unique things always requite the article ‘the’
“The Sun”, “The Moon”
d. Musical instruments use ‘the’
“He plays the cello.”
e. Countries generally don’t use articles in front but if their names are plural they use the article ‘the’
“The Netherlands”, “The United States of America”
f. Abbreviations and classes of people always use the article ‘the’
“The U.N” “The Poor” “The British” “The IMF”
2. Indefinite Article
The Indefinite Article is of two types, namely, ‘a’ and ‘an’. The word ‘a’ is used when it precedes a word that starts with a consonant and the word ‘an’ is used when it precedes a word that starts with a vowel. Unlike the Definite Article, the Indefinite Articles refer to a general idea and not a particular one. The Indefinite Article only appears with singular nouns. For example, in the sentences “I would like a good book to read.” Or “I am craving for an apple pie.” The subject talks about books or apple pies in general rather than a specific book or apple pie.
Uses of ‘a’ and ‘an’:
- Uncountable nouns cannot use either ‘a’ or ‘an’. For example advice is an uncountable noun, therefore a sentence such as “Can you give me an advice.” Does not make sense. Rather “Can you give me some advice.” Is more appropriate.
- Jobs use Indefinite Articles
“I want to become a teacher” “My dream is to become an actor”
c. There are a couple of exceptions to the overall rule of employing ‘a’ before words that start with consonants and ‘an’ before words that begin with vowels. The first letter of the word honour, for instance, may be a consonant, but it’s unpronounced. In spite of the way it is spelled, the word honour begins with a vowel. Therefore, we use an. For example, consider the following sentences:
My mother is a honest woman.
My mother is an honest woman.
d. When the first letter of a word is a vowel but is pronounced with a consonant sound, the article 'a' must be used. For example:
She is an United States senator.
She is a United States senator.
Use of Articles and Common Errors
- The use of A/An with plural Or uncountable noun:
a fact = OK (singular)
a facts = INCORRECT (plural)
an information = INCORRECT (uncountable)
an advice = INCORRECT (uncountable)
a piece of advice = OK (“piece” is countable)
a pants / a glasses / a scissors = INCORRECT (plural)
a pair of pants/glasses/scissors = OK (“pair” is countable)
a rice = INCORRECT (uncountable)
a grain of rice = OK (“grain” is countable)
a work = INCORRECT (uncountable)
a job / a task / a project = OK (countable)
- The articles ‘A’ and ‘An’ always follow the sound, not the letter
a university (pronounced like you – ni – ver – si – ty)
an umbrella (pronounced like um – brel – la)
a hat (h is not silent)
an hour (h is silent)
an X-ray (pronounced like ex – ray)
an NGO (pronounced like en – gee – oh)
a non-governmental organization (when we say the full words, they start with the N sound)
- The use of A and An without a noun following it.
I am a Japanese. = INCORRECT (“Japanese” is an adjective, not a noun)
I am Japanese. = OK
He is an intelligent. = INCORRECT (“intelligent” is an adjective, not a noun)
He is intelligent. = OK
He is an intelligent man. = OK (now it’s OK because we have the noun “man” after “an intelligent”)
- The use of "The" for Singular or Plural and for Countable or Uncountable nouns, when something specific is being talked about (Not General)
I love pasta. (general)
I love the pasta at that restaurant. (specific)
That store sells furniture. (general)
The furniture in my living room is all new. (specific)
Vegetables are good for you. (general)
The vegetables at the market are always fresh. (specific)
I need advice. (general)
The advice you gave me was very helpful. (specific)
- Use of the article "The" for proper nouns:
- NAMES OF CONTINENTS/COUNTRIES*/STATES/CITIES/STREETS:
We’re traveling around Asia for three months.
I’d like to visit Russia.
Paris is my favourite city in Europe.
Have you ever been to California?
They live on Rosewood Avenue.
*Exceptions: the United States (the U.S.), the United Kingdom (the U.K.), the Philippines, the Czech Republic, the Central African Republic, the Marshall Islands
- COMPANIES & UNIVERSITIES*
My uncle works at Samsung.
Microsoft reported high profits this quarter.
She graduated from Harvard.
New York University is very large.
*Exceptions: If the university’s name BEGINS with “university,” then use “the”:
the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Miami
- LANGUAGES & HOLIDAYS
I’m studying Spanish.
He speaks Italian.
My whole family gets together at Christmas.
The office will be closed on New Year’s Day.
- "The" can be used while referring for certain places:
- DO NOT USE THE WITH INDIVIDUAL LAKES OR MOUNTAINS:
Mount Everest is the highest mountain the world.
We went sailing on Lake Ontario.
- USE THE WITH OCEANS, RIVERS, VALLEYS, DESERTS, MOUNTAIN RANGES, POINTS ON GLOBE:
the Pacific Ocean
the Amazon River
the San Fernando Valley
the Sahara Desert
the Swiss Alps, the Rocky Mountains
the North/South Pole, the Equator
- DO NOT USE THE WITH THE FOLLOWING PLACES:
I’m going home.
She’s at work.
He’s in jail.
We attend church.
My kids went to bed.
My brother’s in high school.
My sister’s in college.
- USE THE WITH THE FOLLOWING PLACES:
I went to the bank.
Let’s go to the movies.
He gets home from the office around 7.
My grandfather’s in the hospital.
I’ll stop by the post office after lunch.
I caught a taxi to the airport.
I’ll pick you up at the train station.
We’re waiting at the bus stop.
We took my son to the doctor.
They help one understand the relationships of logic, space and sequence between the different parts of a sentence.
Below are few examples of prepositions commonly used in the English language:
- I just came back from the U.S.
- The book is inside the drawer.
- The kid threw a stone into the lake.
A preposition cannot be plural or possessive. Sometimes prepositions can also act as nouns, verbs and adverbs.
Types of Prepositions
- Prepositions of Time:
These prepositions indicate when something happens, will happen or has happened in any point in time.
Prepositions of time include at, on, in, before, during, after.
Examples:
- John was born on the 7th of August.
- David left his job in 2012.
- Amy ate lots of fruits during her pregnancy.
2. Prepositions of Place:
These prepositions usually indicate the position of a particular thing or person. The three most common prepositions of time are on, at and in.
These prepositions may also indicate the time along with place but depending on their use it can be easily ascertained what they are referring to.
Examples:
- The ball is in the court.
- The clothes are on the top shelf.
- I was at the supermarket just yesterday.
3. Prepositions of Direction or Movement:
Prepositions of movement indicate the direction in which a person or an object is moving.
‘To’ is the most commonly used preposition of movement.
Examples:
- I went to shop for groceries but all the shops were closed.
- He took his dog to the park.
The other prepositions of direction or movement are across, though, over, down, up, past, around.
4. Prepositions of Manner:
Prepositions of manner describe the way in which things take place or means by which things happen.
Prepositions of manner include by, in, like, with, on.
Examples:
- I like travelling by car.
- She went to the school in a taxi.
- Jacob sings like a professional.
- He reacted with pity when he saw the poor cat.
5. Preposition of Agents or Instruments:
Preposition of Agents or Instruments describe the action conducted by a person or object on another person or object.
Most common prepositions of these types are by and with.
Examples:
- The song was recorded by James.
- He cuts his hair with a clipper.
6. Prepositions of Possession:
Prepositions of Possession indicate the owing or owning of an object. It also can be used when something is own to someone. Prepositions of possession include of, with and to.
Examples:
- This is the car of my niece.
- He said he saw a man with a green umbrella.
- This jacket belongs to my grandfather.
Use of Prepositions and Common Errors
The use of prepositions in sentences can be a difficult task. Propositions are sometimes short and very common (e.g., at, in and on), and may have several uses depending on the context, which can make it difficult to know which preposition to use.
Below are some common errors to avoid with prepositions:
- Temporal Errors
The use of 'in' and 'at' depends on the time of the day. For example, in sentences we always use the preposition “in” with “morning,” “afternoon,” and “evening.” But the preposition 'at' is used when talking about the night:
- Helen goes running in the morning.
- Tim goes running in the afternoon.
- Shirley goes running in the evening.
- Bob goes running at night.
b. Spatial Errors (In and at vs. To)
The preposition 'to' can be used to discuss journeys (e.g., “I’m going to Tasmania”). But if the word “arrive,” is present in a sentence we use “in” or “at” to describe reaching a destination. For instance:
- She arrived in Tasmania just after lunch.
- He arrived at the restaurant five minutes late.
The use of “in” or “at” typically depends on the destination:
The preposition “in” for cities, countries or other large areas. While the preposition “at” is used for specific places (e.g., a library, a bar, or someone’s house).
c. Time, Days, Months, and Years (At, On, and In)
Different prepositions are used in different contexts while referring to time in days, months and years.
If a time of the day is being referred, the correct term is “at”:
- The party starts at 9pm.
If a specific day or date is being referred, we use “on”:
- The party is on Saturday.
While referring to a month or year, the correct preposition is “in”:
- We’re having a party in April.
d. Helping verbs
With auxiliary verbs such as “should” or “must.”, the preposition "of" is used.
- Exception: I should of gone to bed earlier. ✗
However, this is an error. The correct word here isn’t even a preposition.
Rather, the verb “have,” must be used which sounds a bit like “of” when spoken (hence the confusion). Thus, it should say:
I should have gone to bed earlier. ✓
e. Present Continuous Tense
If something has been happening from a long time, we use “for” when referring to a length of time (e.g., a period of hours, days, or months):
- I’ve been writing for six hours.
But if a specific time is used as a point of reference, we use “since”:
- I’ve been writing since breakfast.
The difference here is that the first refers to a measure of time, while the second refers to a fixed point in the past when the activity began.
f. Talking About and Discussing
“Talking” and “discussing” are similar activities, so people often treat these words as interchangeable. However, only the preposition “about” must be used after “talking.” For example:
- We’re talking about extreme sports. ✓
- We’re discussing extreme sports. ✓
- We’re discussing about extreme sports. ✗
A verb is a word that expresses the state of being or work being done by the subject. There are main verbs and there are also helping verbs known as auxiliary verbs. Verbs can also be used to express tense.
Ex – She vanished in the darkness.
Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs because they help in the formation of tenses, mood and voices of other verbs. Auxiliary verbs therefore, add functional or grammatical meaning to the clause in which they appear. 'To be', 'to do' and 'to have' are the most commonly used auxiliary verbs. For example: the auxiliary 'to do' is needed to ask questions in the present and past simple tenses.. The auxiliary 'to have' is used in the present and past perfect tenses. Some tenses such as the present perfect continuous, consist of more than one auxiliary verbs.
Below are examples of some commonly used auxiliary verbs:
- Do you like German food?
- Does your mother speak English?
- Did you come to school yesterday?
- Why are you talking? You should be listening to me!
- I was having a bath when you called!
- A new annex is being built behind the school.
- Have you done your homework?
- My father has never visited the USA.
- How long have you been living in Germany?
- By this time next year, I will have been learning French for 15 years!
Using Primary Auxiliaries
1. Be
The forms of “be” are:
- Present tense: is, am, are
- Past tense: was, were
- Past participle: been
i) To form continuous tense:
- He is reading a book.
- we were reading a book.
- He has been reading a book.
ii) For passive voice:
- The work is done.
- The work is being done.
iii) To express a previous plan or agreement:
- You were to visit the doctor.
- I am to go to Meerut.
iv) To express a command:
- You are to get the work done by tonight.
- The plumber is to repair the pipeline tomorrow.
v) To express feelings, age, size, weight, price, time etc.:
- Today is a warm day.
- I am not happy.
- My weight is 50 kgs.
2. Have
The forms of “have” are:
- Present tense: has, have
- Past tense: had
- Past participle: had
i) To form perfect tense:
- He has read the book.
- We had done our household chores.
ii) To form passive voice:
- The work has been done.
- The room had been cleaned.
iii) To express a compulsion:
- He had to go.
- You have to obey the law.
iv) To express a job got to be done:
- I have my room cleaned every week.
- She has bread and butter for breakfast.
v) To express the consumption of food, drinks, events etc.
- I have tea in the morning.
- He had the party at his house.
- You have a test tomorrow.
3. Do
The forms of “do” are:
- Present tense: do
- Past tense: did
- Past participle: done
i) In additions to avoid repetition of verbs:
- He likes to read and so do I.
- You liked to dance and so did she.
ii) In question tags and short answers:
- You liked the film; didn’t you?
- Yes, I did.
iii) To form interrogative and negative forms of present and past indefinite tenses and imperatives:
- Do not lean over the fence.
- He does not work. Does he?
iv) To stress some action in the present and past indefinite tenses and in imperatives:
- I do go to the class every day.
- I did the work daily.
- Do finish the work for me.
Contracted Verb Forms
The auxiliary verbs are very often contracted. For example, it can be said that I'm playing tennis today, instead of I am playing tennis today. These contracted forms of auxiliary verbs are more likely to be used in spoken forms or informal writing. Consider speaking to someone: Why did you not call me yesterday? and instead: Why didn't you call me? It is obvious that the latter seems more probable and consistent.
Conversely, while writing a report or an essay, it is more appropriate to write the full form without contractions: Why did America not join the war until 1941? (instead of: Why didn't America ...?).
The contracted form of auxiliaries can have multiple forms all of which can be correct depending on the context.
- She's not going to the dance.
- She isn't going to the dance.
- I haven't seen him for ages.
The full form is commonly used in spoken language only when the speaker wants to emphasize what they are saying. e:
- Why don't you call him?
- I have called him.
- I do not want to see him again.
Auxiliary verbs also consist of another set of verbs called modal verbs or modal auxiliary verbs. These verbs combine with other verbs to describe necessity, possibility, intention, or ability. Modal auxiliary verbs include - must, shall, will, should, would, ought (to), can, could, may, and might.
- You must act promptly.
- Can you speak Spanish?
- I would go if I could afford it.
- He said he might reconsider his decision.
- I ought to visit my family.
- We should get to London before midday.
- May I come in?
Use of Modal Verbs
Below are some commonly used modal verbs
1. Can and Could
‘Can’ defines ability: I can run to the hotel.
It also indicates permission: You can go to the party tonight.
‘Could’ is used for a request: Could I go to the party tonight?
It is used as the past tense of can in indirect speech: You said you could help me.
Could is also utilised to indicate an ability in the past; He could dance well when I last met him.
2. May and Might
May is typically used to acquire permission: May I come in?
It may also be employed to express a wish: May you have a good life ahead.
'May' can also be used to express possibility: There may be some hope.
‘May’ points out a weak possibility whereas ‘might’ points out an even weaker possibility: I may come today. OR She might come tomorrow.
3. Shall, Should, Will, Would
i) Shall is used in the first person and will in the second and third person:
- I shall not come today.
- You will work for me.
- He will not listen to you.
ii) We can also use shall in second or third person to express a threat, command or a promise:
- You shall be awarded suitably.
- He shall never show up here again.
iii) Shall can also be used in the first person to indicate an offer or suggestion:
- Shall I accompany you?
iv) Will is used to express a decision:
- I will not come today.
v) It may also be used to indicate a habit:
- He will drink a cup of coffee as usual.
vi) We can also use will for an invitation:
- Will you attend my cousin’s wedding?
vii) In clauses that start with if, ‘should’ is used to express a probable event:
- If it should rain, the match will be called off.
4. Must and Ought
‘Must’ is a modal verb that is typically used to express necessity: You must come tonight.
It may also be used to express fixed determination: I must have an opportunity to do what I wish.
Ought can express certainty: We ought to win this.
5. Used
The modal verb 'used' can indicate a discontinued habit: I used to go to the gym every evening.
6. Need
‘Need’ can be used to denote certainty: We need to win this.
We can also use need to denote requirement: I need you to stay.
7. Dare
Dare is a modal verb that generally indicates strong ability or being bold enough: How dare you argue with me?
We can also use dare to strike a challenge: I dare you to cross the bridge in 30 seconds.
